Fans mourning demise of Ikea shelving unit Expedit

It has been the design staple of thousands of homes and offices all over the world, and now it seems consumers everywhere are mourning the demise of Ikea's iconic shelving system the Expedit.

The minimalistic modular units are set to be replaced by the Kallax, a design which the Swedish brand insists is more durable and child-friendly. The replacement product will hit the U.S. market this April.

However it seems long-term fans aren't yet ready to let go, with a ‘Save Expedit' Facebook page already attracting over 24,000 likes. Users have flocked to the page to upload photos of their own Expedit-dominated interiors.

The modular design, available from a single cube to a wall grid of 25 cubes, is one of Ikea's most recognizable products. It can be used as a room divider and is well suited to storing clothes, books and -- crucially -- vinyl records.

"We've been amazed to see the passion consumers have for Expedit, and the many ways they are using this product in their homes and businesses," said Tim Allison, Sales Leader, Store and Organize, IKEA U.S.

"By adding these improvements both in terms of quality and design, we hope to continue to exceed our customers' expectations, and that more people will enjoy Kallax for many more years to come."

According to Ikea, Kallax fits all existing storage baskets and boxes and features the added advantages of a scratch-resistant surface and rounded corners. Whether fans accept this new generation of storage systems, however, remains to be seen.